Gate-operating means



June 24, 1930. F. w. S TENTZ 1,757,904

' GATE OPERATING MEANS Filed se t'. 15. 1926 54 Fm/7% MGM/7f mv OR WITNESQWW ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES FRANK W. STEN'IZ, OF GARY, INDIANA GATE-OPERATING. MEANS Application filed. September 1 5, 1926. Serial No. 135,609.

This invention comprehends the provision of a plant for loading a truck or like vehicle mechanically with material from a railroad car, thus eliminating manual labor,

and without loss of any material. l/Vhile the plant is primarily designed and intended for the handling of coal, and described in this connection, it is desired to be understood that it is susceptible of handling vari- 10 ous other kinds of material, and the general application of the invention is therefore contemplated by the claim.

In carrying out the invention I provide a pit into which the material is deposited from the car, said material being subsequently transferred into any of a plurality of storage bins, from which the material is deposited within the truck or the like, means being employed to regulate the discharge of material from any or all of said bins as the occasion may require.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a plant of the class in question, whereby the material is deposited within the truck while the latter is positioned upon a scale located directly beneath the discharge opening of the plant, so that the material may be weighed while being loaded within the truck from any of a plurality of storage bins.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a central bin into which the finer material is deposited, while the coarser material is conveyed into any of a plurality of storage bins surrounding the central bin, with means to permit the storage bins to be selectively used either for a deposit of material thereinto, or for the 0 purpose of discharging the material therefrom.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood when the following detail description is read in connecp tion with the accompanying drawings, the

invention residing in. the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this application like numerals of reference indicate similar wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through the plant.

' Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 66 of-Figure 1.

The plant proper comprises inner and outer cylindrical casings, the former being indicated at l3'and providing a central bin 15, While the outer casing (not shown) is divided by partition 16 into a plurality of storage compartments 17 arranged in a series about the central compartment 15 as illustrated. i i H Arranged within the central bin 15 is a substantially conical-shaped bottom 42 upon which are pivoted gates 43. Located beneath this bottom is a similarly shaped bottom 44 through the opening in which the material is finally discharged into the wagon or the like (not shown).

Communication is established between the bins 17 and the bottom 44 through an annular series of openings 46 arranged about the'inner cylindrical wall 13, and this communication is controlled by valves 47 there being one valve for each of said openings. Each valve is curved as clearly illustrated in Figure 2, and is carried on one end of an arm 48 pivoted as at 49 upon a plate 50, and the plates for the various valve arms are disposed to assist in guiding the material from the bins 17 onto the bottom 44. One end of each arm 48 is equipped with a counterbalancing weight 51, and each valve may be conveniently opened or closed in a manner to be presently described. Associated with each arm 48 is a yoke 52 which is extended to provide a handle 53 for the purpose of closing the valve, the latter being opened by means of a cable 54, one end of which is connected with the yoke 52. This cable is trained over guide pulleys 55, while the other end of the cable is provided with a handhold or grip 56, so that the cable can be conveniently operated to open the valve as the occasion may require. Manifestly the material from any of the bins 17 can be admitted into the bottom 44, from which the material passes into the wagon.

parts in the several views and Obviously the invention devises a means whereby material can be quickly loaded into a wagon or the like without any loss of the material and without the expenditure of any manual labor, and to accomplish this result in a manner whereby the material can also be weighed at the same time the wagon is loaded.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood, that I do not limit myself to what is here in shown and described and that such changes may be resorted to when desired fall within the scope of what-is claimed.

hat is claimed is:

Means for operating a gate, comprising a lever. attached at one end to the gate and mounted between its ends for pivotal movement, a counterbalancing weight carried by the other end of the lever, a yoke supported by the lever and projecting above and below the latter, said yoke being extended to provide a handle for moving the gate to a closed position, guide pulleys supported in spaced relation to the gate, a cable secured to one end of the yoke and trained over said pulleys, and a hand grip suspended from the cable and arranged adjacent said yoke whereby the gate may be moved to an open position. N

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRANK W. STENTZ; 

